Connection Failure IET : Remote Access
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RAMP Report, 10/12/98


Table of Contents   |    Acknowledgements    |    Section:  1   |    2   |    3   |    4   |    5   |    Appendices



Needs Analysis


Importance of Access   Use of Access Resources: ISP, On-Campus Lab and Modem Pool   Ranking of Types of Access   Access to Equipment (Computers and Modems)   Uses of Remote Access   Attributes of Remote Access   Academic vs. Personal Use of Remote Access   Role of Campus in Providing Remote Access   Willingness to Pay
The Wide Area Network Davis (WAND) survey was used to gather responses from students residing in the Davis area. Additionally, surveys were provided to all Remote Access Pilot (RAMP) participants in order to gather data on current and piloted remote access services and, where applicable, are shown as a comparison to the WAND responses.


Importance of Access


A sample of 79 students (from WAND survey) rate the importance of access to computer technology with regard to their academic success as follows:

Very Important-Important-Somewhat Important-Not very Important-
In general, how important do you feel that having access to computer technology is to your academic success?
  Number %
46 58%
26 33%
6 8%
1 1%


In the ASUCD survey, 78% of the 377 students surveyed by telephone said that having access to computer technology was very important to their academic success, while 71% said that it was very important to their future professional success.


Use of Access Resources: ISP, On-Campus Lab and Modem Pool


Respondents (WAND survey) report that they use the following resources for access (many use more than one), with the modem pool being the most often-used service.

Lab:Modem Pool:ISP:No access:
What type of Internet access do you use?
  Number %
47 59%
55 69%
9 11%
5 6%


While almost three-quarters of the respondents who use the campus modem pool rate its performance as "poor," (mostly because of busy signals), only between 11% and 16% of students are presently willing to pay for and use an ISP.


Ranking of Types of Access


More than half of the students surveyed (WAND) ranked "more modems for dial in access" as either their first or second choice for improving overall computer access:

More modems for dial in accessFast network connectivity in off-campus apartmentsA large (80+ seat) open-access computer room with no classes.Fast network connectivity in apartment complex labsOff-campus computer lab (perhaps downtown)Network ports on campus to allow users with notebook computers to plug into the networkOther (please describe)
Ranked 1 Ranked 2 Ranked 3 Totals*
21 20 12 115
19 18 13 106
18 11 11 87
5 11 13 50
1 3 8 17
  4 7 15
3 1 2 13


*Totals are weighted to equal number of firsts x 3 plus number of seconds x2 plus number of thirds

Answers described in "Other":

  • Faster modems in pool on campus
  • faster modem access
  • more availability to community as well as education
  • allow UC Davis e-mail access from other dial-up providers
  • no more busy signals
  • "Other" checked, but no description provided

Access to Equipment (Computers and Modems)


Based on all WAND surveys to date, it appears that between 75% and 80% of students have access to computers; and between 60% and 70% have access to computers with modems. Of those who have access to a computer, approximately 17% have access to a notebook computer.


Uses of Remote Access


Respondents of the WAND survey use remote access for the following functions (in order of importance):
  1. Electronic mail
  2. Web browsing
  3. FTP
  4. Web development
  5. Other (telnet, Melvyl)
RAMP survey members place E-mail, Web, and Other as the top three.


Attributes of Remote Access


RAMP Respondents ranked accessibility (53%) as the most important attribute of remote access, with speed (33%) second and price (11%) third.


Academic vs. Personal Use of Remote Access


The average split between academic and personal use of remote access for RAMP participants was 75/25. More than 40% of the students in the survey reported that less than half their on-line sessions were for academic purposes (compared to less than 10% of RAMP respondents).


Role of Campus in Providing Remote Access


99% of RAMP respondents feel the university should subsidize remote access, at least partially. More than 95% support a subsidy of half or more of the costs; 53% percent believe that this should be a full subsidy.

Number of respondents
On a continuum between zero and 100% what percent of remote access services should be funded by campus?
Percentage: 0 5 10 20 25 50 70 75 80 85 90 95 100
1 1 1 1 1 15 1 6 6 2 7 1 49
% of sample 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 16% 1% 7% 7% 2% 8% 1% 53%


Willingness to Pay


The maximum amount respondents are willing to pay per month for Internet access from home through a high-speed (56K or better) campus network connection is:

% of RAMP sample% of WAND sample
Monthly cost $20 $15 $10 $5 $0
27% 17% 35% 15% 6%
4% 9% 25% 35% 26%


Note that more than 94% of RAMP respondents and almost 75% of WAND respondents were willing to pay $5 or more per month for remote access. A paradox given the small number of individuals using ISPs.

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Table of Contents   |    Acknowledgements    |    Section:  1   |    2   |    3   |    4   |    5   |    Appendices


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